Superstore has been collecting donations for Winkler Food Cupboard for years now, usually bringing out the donation box a few times a year.

“Proceeds go back to the Winkler Food Cupboard, in excess of $10,000 a year,” store manager Wayne Tyler said. “Sometimes $14-15,000. It’s a community involvement, it’s how the people of Winkler as they come through feel the need to donate something.”

In just two weeks of the fundraising campaign this holiday season, customers have already donated over $5,000.

“Our target is $6,000, which we’re probably going to surpass,” Tyler said. “This is our biggest week of the year so we’re going to be probably way over that.”

“People don’t mind donating because they know it’s coming back to the community, back to Winkler Food Cupboard,” he added. “It’s not going out somewhere else, it’s coming back to the community. It’s helping a neighbour, that’s what it’s all about.”

Tyler said it’s exciting to see the donations pour in around Christmas. “There are families out there that don’t get as much and so by helping somebody it’s a good feeling,” he said. “We’ve been doing this for many years and it’s become very popular. People actually just come in the doors with bags of stuff and drop it in there.”

Some objects in particular that help the Food Cupboard are whole grain cereals, canned meats and fish, pasta and sauces, baby formula and personal hygiene items.

“People don’t think of that,” front-end manager Rose Froese said. “They can really use shampoos, body wash, toothpaste, feminine items, diapers and formulas. That’s such expensive stuff that we just take for granted, so it would be great to see that in there.”

Superstore will be accepting any kind of food or monetary donation.

Tyler said Superstore tries to give back every year because of community.

“We’re part of the community, we’ve been here now 15 years,” he said. “It’s become a pillar in the community for this and we have a lot of loyal customers that come through here, see this all the time and it’s their way of giving back as well. There’s always something that will help somebody less fortunate.”

“It’s surprising how many families rely on something like this,” Tyler said. “It’s a very big thing, particularly through the summer months when there’s less donations. This kind of stuff the Food Cupboard relies on us.”

Superstore will be accepting donations for Winkler Food Cupboard until December 24.